The Crown's Entrapment

"His Mate… How absurd was that?" Xenia mumbled to herself as soon as she was out of Mineah's chamber. "Not everything in the world revolves around him…"

It was simply ridiculous. She honestly still couldn't process everything that just happened. In particular, the fact that she was now somehow Darius's mate.

She would've shown her displeasure, but since she was with her family, she couldn't voice out even the slightest hint of pessimistic concern that she had about her being the Werewolf King's mate.

She had already worried her family enough with her running away. She didn't want to add an even more unnecessary burden on them with her petulant whining.

Letting out a sigh, Xenia headed down to her own chambers. She had a lot going on in her mind, but all of it could wait. There were more pressing matters right now, and at the top of them was the protection of their kingdom.

Walking through the hallway, she was in such deep thought that she didn't notice Darius was just outside her door. Leaning at the wall opposite her chambers, his arms were crossed as if showing his impatience at her arrival.

She was just about to ignore him too. In fact, Xenia had only noticed him when he suddenly cleared his throat. Stopping right in front of him, she frowned at his presence.

"What are you doing here?" she directly asked. She didn't see the point of addressing him as she used to like back when she was his so-called warrior servant. Darius already knew her real identity, and she didn't need to bother posturing to the king.

"Checking on my mate," Darius plainly commented.

"I won't run again if that's what you're worried about," Xenia scoffed. "You can stop being so vigilant around me now."

For some reason, an atmosphere of awkwardness settled between them. Darius's predatory eyes looked so dangerous, looking at her as if she was his prey. It truly felt as if he wanted to devour her right at that moment, it was patently weird to think about.

Blinking at him, her mind swam with numerous questions that she wanted to ask him.

However, she wasn't really in the mood to play twenty questions with him at the moment. Instead, she coldly added, "If there's nothing else, then I'll be taking my leave. I need to go inside my room and get ready."

"Are you mad?" Darius asked.

"I'm not mad, Your Majesty," Xenia sighed as she turned to face him. "Please, can I take my leave now?"

She didn't even know why she was entertaining him at the moment. She could always just leave right then and there, but that would simply be too rude to do on a king like Darius.

Besides, she didn't want him to think that her parents didn't teach her any of the proper manners as a Princess. She currently represented the Royal Family of Ebodia, and she would do her utmost to do at least that.

"I find it weird to look at you wearing that kind of outfit, Xen," he commented.

Hearing him, Xenia's eyes widened. Darius was flashing her a mischievous smirk on Darius.

Acting on impulse, Xenia quickly checked their surroundings before she stressed out, "Your Majesty, please watch your actions, and address me properly as Princess Xenia."

"Xenia… Your name sounds lovely, but I'm already used to calling you Xen," Darius musingly replied.

"Likewise, you should start calling me Darius, Xen. If not, then you will leave me no choice but to remind you of how you should properly address your future husband."

He scoffed, stepping closer to Xenia, "That is, of course, unless we can come to an agreement of having a better term for our loving endearment at one another?"

Xenia instinctively stepped back, her feet only stopping when her back hit the nearest wall.

To her horror, Darius raised a hand to her face, suddenly removing the veil covering her face as he stared at her.

She gulped, seeing the burning desire in his eyes that just oozed with raw unadulterated lust. The princess couldn't believe what she was seeing.

She even blinked a few times just to make sure she wasn't mistaking those glowing predatory eyes of this Werewolf King with something similar.

The king then suddenly cupped her cheek, making her freeze right on the spot. His warm palm grazed against her skin… It felt so familiar somehow…

"Say it… Say my name, Xen. I want you to address me with my name," he whispered, his eyes staring keenly at her green orbs before they slowly trained their gaze to her lips.

"Those lips…" Darius feverishly murmured.

Xenia's eyes widened when she felt his thumb brush across her lips. Goosebumps appeared all over her body, and she didn't know why she wasn't doing anything.

Why was she even standing still like a statue right now? She should've already hit his hand away from her face ages ago, and yet here she was… Unmoving and frozen like an idiot.

"Did you know that my wolf, Zeus, recognized you as my mate the moment you fell into my arms?" Darius breathed at her, moving his head closer to hers as he sniffed her hair.

Xenia was holding her breath. She felt butterflies fluttering inside her stomach, and the loud beating of her heart was so worrisome that she quietly hoped that she'd be okay.

She even thanked the wall on her back for providing her with some much-needed support. Her knees had suddenly felt weak, and she was bracing herself just to stay upright.

"You knew I'm a woman from the start?" she cautiously inquired, trying her best to distract herself from Darius's closeness and burning touches.

"Well, Zeus did. But I was in denial at the time," Darius answered with a slight frown. "After all, you were still disguised as a man, Xen. And I can't simply take his word at face value. I needed to see and confirm it with my own eyes first."

Seeing his expression, Xenia wondered what it was that caused his displeased reaction. And since they were already on the topic, she decided to take the opportunity and ask him one of her questions. "When did you confirm it? That I am a woman, I mean?"

Darius didn't answer.

Instead, he leaned closer, almost hugging her with his frame as he whispered into her ear, "I'll tell that story to you later; once you've started calling me by my name, Xen. For now, I'll let you go so that you can prepare… We have a long journey ahead of us as soon as the wedding is finished."

His breath hit her earlobe, every syllable enunciated dripping with lust, "I can't wait to mark you, Xen… To make you mine..."

Having heard enough, Xenia finally gathered enough of her strength to move her hands, placing them flat onto Darius's sturdy chest as she heaved.

It was alarming. She couldn't believe what was happening to her at that moment. It felt like she was being hypnotized, and she didn't like that one bit.

With that thought, she braced herself, pushing Darius out of her personal space as she retorted, "Please behave properly, Your Majesty. Remember, we are not yet married for you to start acting like this around me! I'm not your mate yet!"

"Yes, you are, Xen. I've already marked you several times already in my head, and I will make those scenarios a reality," Darius firmly stated. "Make no mistake, I will make you mine… All of you… Body, heart, and even your soul… Do look forward to it, my Princess."